Machine for operating upon sheet material



7 Sept. 1936- R. N. SANDBERG 1 2,053,303

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHEET MATERIAL Filed-March 25, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 8, 1936. R SANDBERG 2,053,303

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHEET MATERIAL Filed March 25, 1954 I 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 8, 1936 PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOROPERATING UPON SHEET MATERIAL Robert N. Sandberg, Beverly,

United Shoe Machinery Corporation,

Mass., assignor to Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New JerseyApplication March 23,

9 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon sheet material andis herein illustrated as embodied in a clicking machine.

Clicking machines as heretofore constructed commonly comprise a bed, acutting block supported upon the bed, and a presser member arranged forreciprocation relatively to the bed, thereby forcing a freely movabledie through sheet material, such as leather, positioned upon the cuttingblock. Cutting blocks used in such machines are subject to wear andfrequently must be removed from the machine for resurfacing operationsor for replacement. Consequently it is customary to secure a cuttingblock in position upon the bed of the machine by devices such asclamping bolts which can be released when it is necessary to remove theblock.

It is'an object of the present invention to provide, in a machine of thetype refered to, a block-securing device of novel construction whichwill be especially adapted to facilitate the assembly or disassembly ofa cutting block and the bed of the machine.

To this end and as illustrated, the invention provides a bed, a cuttingblock supported upon the bed and a clamping device comprising a togglemechanism for securing the block to the bed. By the use of the togglemechanism in the construction set forth, it is possible quickly tosecure theblock to the bed or to release it from the bed thus to savethe time which an operator would otherwise have to spend in loosening ortightening the attaching bolts commonly used heretofore.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings and will be pointed out in the claims.

. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section of a portion of a clickingmachine disclosing one form of block-securing device;

.Fig. 2 isa plan view showing the cutting block in position upon the bedof the machine;

.Fig. 3 is a detailed view partly in section of the toggle mechanism foroperating the clamping device;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a part of a clicking .machine illustratinga modified form of block-securing device; and

.Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the machine equipped as in Fig. 4and illustrating also a work table mounted adjacent to the cuttingblockof the machine.

The clicking machine illustrated in Figs. 1

1934, Serial No. 717,053

and 2 comprises a frame Ill, carrying a flat bed l2 upon which ispositioned a cutting block I4, and a presser arm [6 which is arrangedfor reciprocation relatively to the bed by means of mechanism not shown.

The cutting block i4 is square in cross section as shown in Fig. 2 andis particularly adapted, as is the entire machine shown, for use inoperating upon small work such as appliques -or other small blanks whichgo into the making of the uppers of shoes. Preferably, the cutting blockI4 is of wood and is composed of separate blocks or sections I! gluedtogether and secured in position against forces applied to the uppersurface of the block by clamping irons or bolts i8 which extend alongthe sides of the block and are secured together at their ends by nuts20. Additional reinforcement of the block is obtained by rods 22 and 24which extend through the block and connect the irons l8 at oppositesides thereof. The rod 22 is positioned in a groove 26 extending alongthe lower surface of the block, the rod having reduced ends 28 whichpass through opposite clamping irons i8 and are secured in position bynuts 30. The reinforcing rod 24 extends at right angles to the rod 22and passing through two of the clamping irons l8 and through a slot 32in the rod 22. This arrangement of clamping irons l8 and reinforcingrods 22 and 24 produces a rigid block structure which can effectivelywithstand blows applied to the upper surface of the cutting block-I4.

In order to secure the cutting block to the bed l2 there is providedquickly detachable clamping means which will now be described. Securedto the central portion of the rod 22 is a spindle or shank 34 whichextends downwardly through a clearance opening 36 and a bore 38 in aboss 45 on the under side of the bed l2. The shank 34 is arranged to beforced in a downward direction by means of a toggle lever 42 having ears43 mounted upon a pin 44 carried by the boss 40 and is operativelyconnectedto a sleeve 46 slidably mounted upon the shank 34 by togglelinks 48 mounted upon pins 58, carried by the lever, and connected tothe sleeve 46 by pins 52. The lower end of the shank 34 isscrew-threaded and carries a nut 54, held in adjusted position by a nut55, which serves to limit downward movement of the sleeve 52 upon theshank, the sleeve being normally forced upwardly by springs 56 extendingbetween the pins 44 and 52. Upon rotation of the lever 42 in acounterclockwise direction (Fig. 1) the toggle links 48 are brought intoa position with their axes in line with the pins 44 and 50, thus forcingthe sleeve 46 downwardly causing it to engage the nut 54 thereby toforce the shank 34 downwardly with sufficient pressure to clamp thecutting block I4 to the bed I2. The clamping device can readily bereleased by moving the lever in a clockwise direction thereby to breakthe toggle.

One advantage of the construction just described is that the positioningof the cutting block upon its supporting bed is facilitated as in caseswhere it is desired to locate a new block surface at the point where theoperator does most of the work, that is, the front of the machine. Thiscan be done readily merely by releasing the toggle, rotating the blockon the bed about the shank 34 through 90 and then operating the togglelever 42 again to clamp the block to the bed. By thus shifting theposition of the block upon the bed at frequent intervals the wear uponthe block is evenly distributed thus rendering frequent resurfacingunnecessary.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown in a modified form a block-securing devicein which there are several toggle-operated clamps positioned along the.sides of a cutting block. In this instance, the machine comprises aframe 60 having a bed 62 supporting a cutting block 64 and having apresser member 66 arranged for reciprocation relatively to the bed bymechanism not shown;

The block is arranged to' be secured to the cutting bed by a pluralityof clamping bolts 68, each of which has a hooked portion '10 adapted toenter a slot I2 in one of the block clamping irons 14. Each of theclampingbolts is carried by a toggle block 16 mounted upon a pin 18carried by a bifurcated toggle lever 80 which in turn is carried by apin 82 mounted in ears 84 on the Within the toggle block 16.

bed of the machine. 7 is positioned a. nut 86 adapted to receive thescrew-threaded end 88 of the clamping bolt 68, the nut .86 being heldagainst rotation in the block bymeans of a pin 90 which is adapted toengagea flat side 92. of the nut. The nut 86 is providedwith an upwardlyextending reduced portion or sleeve 94 which carries a stiff spring 96the upper end of which bears against a shoulder 98 on the toggle block16. This spring constitutes a yieldable connection between the bolt 68and the toggle block 16 by which pressure can. be applied to the bolt;

In the use of the clamping bolts 68 a bolt is swung about the pivot pins18 and 82 until the hooked portion 10 of the bolt engages the bottom ofa slot 172 and the toggle lever 80 is then forced down until the pivotpin 18 is positioned inwardly of the pin 82. This results in forcing thetoggle block 16 downwardly causing the shoulder 98 to compress. thespring 96 and apply pressure to the nut 85 and bolt 68' to clamp thecutting block 64' to the bed. The pressure which a bolt exerts upon thecutting block can be adjusted merely by turning the bolt in its sleeve94, thereby to lengthen or shorten the distance between the hookedportion 10 of the bolt and the pivot pin 18. V V

In order to provide for the support of dies and tools in proximity tothe cutting block where they are'used the machine is equipped with worktables I00 positioned upon opposite sides of the cutting block 64., Eachof the tables comprises a board I02 having on the under side thereof ametal bracket I 04 which is supported by two rods I06 and I08 slidablysecured to the frame end, the table I 00 is pivotally mounted on the rodI06 which extends through ears I I2 on the bracket I04, there being aspring I I4 positioned between one of the ears and. a pin I I6 extendingthrough the rod whereby the table is forced toward the side of thecutting block to maintain it in juxtaposition thereto. The rearward endof the table normally rests on the rod I08 without being securedthereto. The tablel02 is cut away along one side thereof at H8 and atI20 toprovide clearance for the clamping bolts 68 and for portions ofthe frame of the machine. When. it is desired to operate the clampingbolts along the sides of the block, such bolts normally being partiallycovered by the tables, the tables can readily be swung about the rodsI06 so that they extend downwardly as shown in the righthand portionofFig. 5, thus to provide access to the clamping bolts. In swinging thetables to such position or in placing them back in their normal positionthey may be pushed outwardly of the cutting block against the pressureofrthe springs H4 in order to clear various of the parts of the machineduring their movements into or out'of normal position Having describedmy invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States is:

1. In a clicking machine, a bed, a cutting block supported upon the bed,a clamping member loosely carried by the bed and adapted to engage theblock, and a toggle member for exerting pressure upon the clampingmember thereby to secure the block to the bed.

2. In a clicking machine, a bed, a cutting block positioned upon thebed, a clamping member for engaging the block, and a toggle member foroperatingthe clamping member to secure the block to the bed.

3. In a clicking machine, abed, a cutting block.

the block can be readily removed fromthe bed..

4.. In a clicking machine, a bed, a cutting block supported upon thebed, a member secured to the cutting block and having 2. dependingportion extending through the bed, a sleeve loosely carried by thedepending portion,.and a lever carried by the bed for forcing the sleevein a direction to clamp the block to the bed. V V 5. In a clickingmachine, a bed, a cutting block position-ed upon the bed, a membersecured to the cutting block and having .a depending portion extendingthrough the bed, and lever-operated means for engaging the dependingportion to clamp the block to the bed.

6. In a clicking. machine, a bed, a cutting block positioned upon thebed, means for clamping the block to the bed comprising a memberengaging the cutting block and extending through the bed, a leverpivoted upon the bed and having means for engaging the member to forceit in a direction. to clamp the block to the bed. I

'7'. A block-securing device comprising a bolt formed to engage aportion of a cutting block, a sleeve screw-threaded on the bolt, atoggle block slidably mounted upon the bolt and surroundingthesleeve, aspring positioned upon the sleeve and adapted to be engaged by a-portionof the block, and a toggle lever for forcing the block in toggle memberfor engaging the bolt to move it in of rods projecting laterally fromthe frame, a. a direction to clamp the block to the bed. bracket on thetable pivotally mounted upon one 9. In a clicking machine, a frame, acutting of the rods, and resilient means normally operablock supportedby the frame, a work table positive to force the table laterally towardthe cut- 5 tioned adjacent to the cutting block and means ting block.

for supporting the table comprising a plurality ROBERT N. SANDBERG.

